Combination bench router fixture



Nov. 5, 1963 B. E. JONES 3,109,466

COMBINATION BENCH ROUTER FIXTURE Filed May 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l 30\ v Bernard E Jones 1 N VEN TOR 14 A? 42 Media Nov. 5,. 1%3 B. E. JONES 3,109,466

I COMBINATION BENCH ROUTER FIXTURE Filed May 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bernard 5. Jones 1N VEN TOR.

BY WW Z5.

United States Patent 3,109,466 COMBINATION BENCH ROUTER FIXTURE Bernard E. Jones, 26159 Raine, Oak Park 37, Micln,

assignor of one-third to Geoffrey B. Jones, Livonia,

Mich., and one=third to Alice M. Packman, Birmingham, Mich.

Filed May 4, 1961, Ser. No. 107,672 10 Claims. (Cl. 144-144) This invention relates to power machinery, and more particularly to a router for shaping wood.

Briefly, the invention relates to a bench fixture vise that is designed to cut several cabinet joints such as dovetail, box dado, miter, lock miter, round tenon, and other joints. The fixture includes several clamping devices, which may be individually used for clamping and holding several workpieces in the vise, and for holding a working template in fixed position relative to the workpieces.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved operating means for holding or looking the workpieces and template within a bench fixture.

It is another object of the invention to provide a means for holding a finger guide or template to a bench fixture in such a manner that the finger guide or template can be very rapidly removed from the fixture without disturbing the stock or workpiece held therein in separate Vises.

It is another object of the invention to provide a power driven woodworking machine with novel cutting tools that can be very rapidly removed and replaced with different tools.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a novel woodworking power device which may perform a plurality of cutting operations, is relatively simple in design, is economical to produce and reliable in use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a router bench fixture employing my invention with workpieces and a finger guide installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view on a slightly enlarged scale of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 (Sheet 1) is an end View of the device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a finger guide or template assembly;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view looking at the underside of a guide or template for cutting tenons;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the front left portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 with the template shown in FIGURE 6 installed thereon and in operation;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view of another portion of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but showing the cam lever in an operative position; and

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a novel cutting tool used with the router shown in FIGURE 8.

As shown in the drawings, the bench fixture comprises a longitudinally extending base 10 of U-shaped crosssection and having a fiat top 12 supported on downwardly extending vertical legs 14 and 16.

Secured to the upper surface of the top 10 at each end thereof are rectangular end blocks 18 and 29. These blocks are substantially mirror images of one another and extend transversely across the side ends of the base, one side of each block being fiush with the end of the base as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The end blocks may be secured to the base by conventional means, such as threaded bolts, not shown, extending upwardly through holes in the bottom of the top 11) and into threaded apertures in the end blocks.

The end blocks 18 and 20 each contain a pair of aligned apertures which slidably receive guide rods 22 and 24. Each guide rod has a conventional bolt head 26 formed on its right end, and the leftends of the guide rods are threaded and extend into adjusting members 28 which are interiorly threaded and have knurled knobs 30 formed thereon for manual rotation of the adjusting members.

Two stock clamping jaws 32 and 34 each have a pair of aligned apertures therein which also slidably receive the guide rods 22 and 24.

The end block 18 has a central aperture or passage 36 extending horizontally through its center which has threads therein for receiving and engaging with the threads on the clamping bolt or rod 38. The clamping bolt 38 has a relatively large knurled head 40 on its outer end to facilitate manual rotation thereof.

Two parallel horizontally extending studs 42 are secured to and extend forwardly from each end portion of the front leg 16. The outer ends of these studs are threaded and extend through threaded nuts 44. The studs 42 extend through apertures in the ends of the clamping strap 46 which extends horizontally between the studs as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The clamping strap is between the nuts 44 and the leg 16 and slides on an unthreaded portion of the studs,

The stock jaws 32 and 34 have rectangular recesses or notches formed in the forward upper portions as shown at 48 and 50. The notch 50 forms a forwardly projecting arm 52 on the jaw 32, and this arm has a pair of parallel threaded bores 54 formed therethrough. A gauge in the form of a manually adjustable stop bolt 56 is selectively threaded in either one of these apertures 54. The bolt 56 has a knurled knob 58 formed on one end thereof for facilitating manual rotation thereof.

Opposite upper inner corners of each end block 18 and 20 has rectangular recesses or grooves formed therein as shown at 64) and 62, respectively (Sheet 2). The grooves 60 and 62 are rectangular in cross section and each has a transverse trough which is arcuate in cross section formed in the corner thereof as shown at 64 and 66.

A cam lever 63 is rotatably mounted on a horizontally extending pin 70 which is fixed to the forward face of the block 18. The lever 68 has an arcuate cam surface 72 which is formed by an are having a center spaced from the axis of pin 70. By rotating the lever 68 about the pin 70, the cam surface 72 may be made to extend beyond the end of trough 64 or alternatively, the cam may be made to be out of alignment with the end of the trough 64 as shown in FIGURE 8.

In a similar manner, the block 20 has a jaw lever 74 pivotally mounted on a headed pin 76 fixed to the forward surface of the block 20. The lever 74 has a camming surface 78 formed on one end thereof and facing the jaw 32.

When using my fixture to form box joints or dovetailed joints in a plurality of workpieces to be joined, I provide a finger guide or template 80 between the end blocks 18 and 20. The template 80 comprises an elongated plate the end portions of which are received by the recesses 60 and 62, said plate having a plurality of equally spaced guide grooves 82 formed at its forward edge and terminating in arcuate ends 84. The grooves 82 define fingers 86. The left end of the template 80 has rigidly secured and fixed thereto a bar member 88 which extends rear'wardly from the template as shown in FIG- URE 5.

As shown in FIGURE 11 I have provided a novel cutting tool holder '96 which is adapted to hold a plurality of tools such as the tool shown at 92 for example. The holder 90 comprises a shaft member 93 having a longitudinally extending slot 94 formed in one end theredof, and a relatively small bore 96 extending through the rod and slot and normal thereto. A pin 98 is normally force fitted within the bore 96, and is of the same length as the diameter of the shaft '93, so that the ends of the pin terminate flush with the outer surface of the shaft. A bushing 100 slidably receives the shaft 93. One end of the bushing is flared or enlarged as shown at 102 for facilitating entry of the shaft 93. The other end of the bushing 100 is enlarged as shown at 104 and has a radial slot 166 formed therein. Each tool 92 has a tang 108 projecting therefrom, and a notch 110* is formed in a side edge of each tang. Normally, the left end of the shaft 93 as shown in FIGURE 11 is maintained in a chuck, and the cutting tools 92 are selec tively attached thereto by inserting the tangs 108 in slot 94 so that the pin 96 will be received in the notch 11%). The bushing 100 is then slid downwardly on the shaft 93 so as to encompass the slotted portion 94 of the shaft and the tang 108 so as to retain the tool and shaft rigidly connected.

In operation, when the two pieces of stock or workpieces '112 and 114 are to be formed with mating box joints or dovetail joints, they are placed in the fixture as shown in FIGURES l and 2. The finger guide 80 is first placed between the end blocks 18 and 20 so that the ends of the guide are received in the grooves 60 and 62 and fingers 86 project forwardly a sufiiciently distance. The bar member 88 is received in the groove 64 and locked in position by pushing down on the lever 68 as shown in FIGURE 8 so that the cam 72 tightly engages the left side of the bar 88.

V The workpiece 114 is installed on the fixture as shown in FIGURE 1 by inserting it through the space between the leg 16 and the strap 46. The lateral position of the workpiece 114 is located by rotating the stop bolt 56 by means of knob 58', and then the nuts 44 are tightened so as to tightly clamp the workpiece 114 in proper position. However, before installing the workpiece 114, the workpiece or stock 112 is placed as shown in FIGURE 1 between the jaw members 32 and 34, and loosely clamped .therebetween by rotating the knurled knob 40. The

workpiece 112 then may be slightly adjusted in its position as may be necessary. The workpiece 112 is then tightly clamped into its final position by pushing downwardly on the jaw lever 74 so as to push the jaw member 32 to the left as viewed in FIGURES 9 and 10.

While a specific method has been disclosed for mounting the parts 80, 112, 114 in the fixture, it is apparent that it is not necessary to mount the template 80 first and workpiece 112 second. For example, the workpiece 112 could be mounted in the fixture before the template 80 if so desired.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the desired cutting tool 118 is mounted in the chuck 116 of the power tool 120. This tool may be of the tool assembly shown in FIG- URE 11, or any other desired tool, for cutting mating dovetail joints or box joints in the workpieces 112 and 114. The grooves for the dovetail joints or the box joints are simultaneously cut in the edges of the workpieces 112 and 114 by moving the rotating cutting tool 118 horizontally back and forth through the guide grooves 82 in the template 80. The rotating cutting tool 118 preferably has a circular bearing surface such as shown at 100 or 104 in FIGURE 11 for having bearing contact with the inside edges of the slots or grooves 82.

If desired, a circular guide plate 122 may abut the upper surface of the template for controlling the depth of the grooves cut by the tool 118.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 is shown a template for the cutting of tenons. This template comprises a plate having an oval tool guide or head 120' formed on a support portion 122. The head 12% has two parallel pointed pins secured to the underside thereof extending downwardly therefrom as shown at 124 and 126 respectively. The axes of these pins constitute the centers of arcuate edges 128 and 130 formed on each side of the head. The upper portion 130 extends inwardly between the head and support portion so as to form a neck portion 132. Fixed to the outer edge of the support portion 122' is a support bar 134 as shown in FIGURE 6.

When it is desired to use the template shown in FIG- URE 6, it is mounted inthe horizontal .position by inserting the bar 134 in the trough 64 with the template extending forwardly from the block 18. The bar or rod 134 is secured to the block 18 by rotating the handle or cam lever 68 in the manner explained above for securing the bar member 88. The workpiece 136, which may be a length of two-by-two for example, is located in the proper position with respect to the template and is urged into contact with the pin 126, preferably so that the pin extends into the end of the workpiece. The workpiece is then clamped into position by means of the strap 46 and nuts4'4. A tenon cutting tool, such as for example, that shown in FIGURE 11 may then be installed in the chuck 116, and the bushing 100 thereof guided around the arcuate surface 128 so as to cut onehalf of the tenon as shown at 138. Then, the template is moved rearwardly so as to align the pin 124 in the hole formed in the end of the member 136 by the pin 126. The rotating cutting tool 92 is then guided around the arcuate surface 130 for cutting the remainder of the tenon 138.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 and 2, after the dovetail or box joints have been cut in the forward edge of the workpiece 112 and the upper edge of the workpiece 114, these workpieces may be removed from the bench fixture, and since the joints have been simultaneously cut by the same template, the joints formed on the two workpieces will fit perfectly together for forming an ideal joint.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the width of the guide grooves 82 and the width of the fingers 86 are about the same so as to permit a proper interengaging relationship between the joints formed on the edges of the two workpieces 112 and 1 14.

It is to be particularly noted that the cam levers 6S and 74 permit the templates 8t} and workpieces 112 to be rapidly released from the bench fixture and replaced thereon by other guide means and workpieces. The adjustrnent of the knob 40 is only for initial adjustment of the aw member 34. Normally, a plurality of workpieces 112 of the same width are cut in succession in the fixture. In which case, it is only necessary to make one adjustment by the knob 40 for the jaw 34, and the jaw 32 is operated for clamping and un'clamping the workpieces 112 by means of the lever 74. Also, the finger guide or template 80 may be very rapidly removed and replaced in the bench fixture without disturbing the workpieces 112 and 114.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous mo'dlficatiions and changes will readily occur to those skilled 111 the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the inventron as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bench router fixture comprising a base, a pair of spaced blocks mounted on said base, spaced parallel d extending between said blocks, a pair of opposed, spaced,

coacting jaws mounted for sliding adjustment on the rods for receiving and gripping a workpiece therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing of one of the jaws with respect to the other, means for closing the other jaw on the workpiece, a template mounted on the blocks and traversing the jaws in vertically spaced relation thereto overlying the workpiece gripped in the jaws therebeneath, and means for removably and adjustably securing said template in position, said blocks having elongated recesses therein slidably receiving the end portions of the template, one of said blocks further having a groove therein parallelling and communicating with the respective recess, the last-named means including a bar on one end portion of the template slidably engaged in the groove.

2. A bench router fixture comprising a base, a pair of spaced blocks mounted on said base, spaced parailcl rods extending between said blocks, a pair of opposed, spaced, coacting jaws mounted for sliding adjustment on the rods for receiving and gripping a workpiece therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing of one of the jaws with respect to the other, means for closing the other jaw on the workpiece, a template mounted on the blocks and traversing the jaws in vertically spaced relation thereto overlying the workpiece gripped in the jaws therebeneath, and means for removably and adjustably securing said template in position, said blocks having elongated recesses therein slidably receiving the end portions of the template, one of said blocks further having a groove therein parallelling and communicating with the respective recess, the last-named means including a bar on one end portion or" the template slidably engaged in the groove, said last-named means further including a cam lever pivotally mounted on said one block and clampingly engageable with said bar.

3. A bench router fixture comprising a base, means for clamping a workpiece on said base, a template including a plate, and means for horizontally slidably adjustably securing the template on the base with the plate over a workpiece thereon, said template further including a bar aliixed to the plate, the second-named means comprising a block mounted on the base having an elongated recess therein slidably receiving a marginal portion of the plate and further having a groove therein parallelling and coinmunicating with the recess and slidably receiving the bar, and a cam lever on the block engageable with the bar for frictionally clamping same in adjusted position in the groove.

4. The combination of claim 3, said plate being elongated and having spaced, parallel slots extending thereinto from one of its longitudinal edges for receiving a cutting tool.

5. The combination of claim 3, said plate including a substantially oval guide for a cutting tool, and spaced pins depending from the guide and selectively engageable in a workpiece on the base for adjustably positioning said guide relative to said workpiece.

6. The combination of claim 1, the first-named means including a rod threaded through one of the blocks and engaged with said one jaw.

7. The combination of claim 6, the second-named means comprising a cam lever pivotally mounted on one of the blocks and operatively engageable with said other aw.

8. The combination of claim 7, one of said blocks having a threaded bore therethrough, the first-named means comprising a rod threaded for adjustment through the bore and having one end in abutting engagement with said one jaw, the second-named means including a cam lever pivotally mounted on the other block and operatively engageable with said other jaw.

9. The combination of claim 1, further including means for clamping a second workpiece on the base, and gauge means on one of said jaws for positioning the second workpiece relative to said first workpiece.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said gauge means includes a stop bolt threaded for adjustment through the jaw and engageable with said second workplece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 211,531 Stengel Jan. 21, 1879 500,153 Parman June 27, 1893 528,968 Peabody Nov. 13, 1894 626,718 Pearson et al June 13, 1899 770,603 McMurtrie Sept. 20, 1904 1,315,509 Joyce Sept. 9, 1919 1,619,695 Boese et a1 Mar. 1, 1927 1,651,510 Carter Dec. 6, 1927 2,211,164 Rippenbein Aug. 13, 1940 2,454,994 Crippeu Nov. 30, 1948 2,535,450 OMalley Dec. 26, 1950 2,764,191 Hartmann Sept. 25, 1956 2,794,468 Huxtable June 4, 1957 3,057,383 Waite Oct. 9, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 317,226 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1929 99,656 Sweden Aug. 20, 1940 

3. A BENCH ROUTER FIXTURE COMPRISING A BASE, MEANS FOR CLAMPING A WORKPIECE ON SAID BASE, A TEMPLATE INCLUDING A PLATE, AND MEANS FOR HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLY SECURING THE TEMPLATE ON THE BASE WITH THE PLATE OVER A WORKPIECE THEREON, SAID TEMPLATE FURTHER INCLUDING A BAR AFFIXED TO THE PLATE, THE SECOND-NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A BLOCK MOUNTED ON THE BASE HAVING AN ELONGATED RECESS THEREIN SLIDABLY RECEIVING A MARGINAL PORTION OF THE PLATE AND FURTHER HAVING A GROOVE THEREIN PARALLELLING AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE RECESS AND SLIDABLY RECEIVING THE BAR, AND A CAM LEVER ON THE BLOCK ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BAR FOR FRICTIONALLY CLAMPING SAME IN ADJUSTED POSITION IN THE GROOVE. 